Prevalence and Determinants of Food Allergy in Children Attending Aswan University Hospital | ||
| Aswan University Medical Journal | ||
| Article 2, Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2025, Pages 11-22 PDF (358.4 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/aumj.2024.340542.1164 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Asmaa Saad Anwar* 1; Hanan Mohamed1; Ehab Fawzy Abdou Moustafa2; Eslam Fathy Elnakeeb3; khaled Abdelhay Mohamed1 | ||
| 1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aswan University | ||
| 2Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University | ||
| 3Clinical Pathology department, faculty of medicine, Aswan University | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Introduction: Food allergy (FA) is a growing public health issue, particularly in children, with an estimated prevalence surpassing 10% in industrialized nations. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, clinical presentation, and diagnostic findings of FA among children attending the pediatric gastroenterology clinic at Aswan University Hospital. Patients and Methods: This observational, cross-sectional study included 300 children aged 1–15 years who presented with gastrointestinal complaints at the pediatric gastroenterology clinic of Aswan University Hospital from September 2023 to September 2024. results: The study included 300 children aged 1–15 years with gastrointestinal complaints, half of whom were diagnosed with FA. The most common diagnoses were Celiac disease (51.3%), IgE-mediated allergies (40.7%), and less frequently CMPA (6.0%) and FPIES (2.0%). Clinical symptoms included runny nose (60.7%), diarrhea (51.0%), bloody stools (51.0%), and failure to thrive (46.3%). Laboratory testing revealed elevated eosinophils (mean 10.42%) and total IgE levels (mean 147.21 IU/mL). Skin prick tests (SPT) and specific IgE (SIgE) tests identified common allergens such as peanuts (44.1%), fish (32.2%), and eggs (27.1%). Oral food challenge (OFC) confirmed food sensitivities in 35.3% of the cases, with fish, eggs, and peanuts being the most reactive allergens. Additionally, 51.3% of patients tested positive for tTG-IgA, confirming Celiac disease. Conclusion: food allergies are common in pediatric GIT complaints, with Celiac disease and IgE-mediated allergies being the most prevalent. Diagnostic tests like SPT, IgE, OFC, and tTG-IgA are crucial for accurate diagnosis. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| food allergy; celiac disease; oral food challenge tst | ||
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